


Fractured Glass

by ZaydaBeta99



Series: The War is Over, and We Shall Start Anew [2]
Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorder, Catra (She-Ra) Needs a Hug, Catra Has Issues (She-Ra), Catra has Anxiety, Catra needs therapy, F/F, Glimmer is a Good Bro, Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Nightmares, Nobody is Dead, Panic Attacks, Poor Catra (She-Ra), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Scorpia (She-Ra) is a Good Friend, Therapy Cat Melog (She-Ra), catra and glimmer being bros, no beta we die like idiots, unless it's canonical
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-05
Updated: 2020-07-05
Packaged: 2021-03-04 22:00:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25083523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZaydaBeta99/pseuds/ZaydaBeta99
Summary: EDIT: Just fixing Ages and stuff for everything on this series. If you haven't read, please do! I'm proud of it :)6 months after the war, and everything was great.Adora had been genuinely happy, the recovery efforts for Etheria was going great, and the Best Friends Squad was finally planning for their space road trip.And Catra and Adora had been really happy with each other.The days they didn’t spend working, they took long walks around the castle, spent evenings cuddling with Melog under the moon, and spent nights wrapped up in each other’s embrace, simply enjoying the love they felt for each other.They had also gotten…intimate on more than one occasion.All in all, their relationship was great. Everything was perfect.But the problem with perfection is that in a matter of seconds, things can become fractured.And with enough pressure, things will shatter.orAs Adora starts to get better, Catra's problems surface.But Adora can't know, no, Catra cannot, will not, put that burden on her.She just needs to do what she does best: Hide it
Relationships: Adora & Catra (She-Ra), Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Glimmer (She-Ra), Catra & Scorpia (She-Ra), Perfuma/Scorpia (She-Ra)
Series: The War is Over, and We Shall Start Anew [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1816519
Comments: 2
Kudos: 161





	Fractured Glass

**Author's Note:**

> Def more proud of this than my first one so yeyeee. Heed the tags and be cool my dudes.
> 
> Trigger Warning: This Chapter includes graphic depictions of violence, a suicide attempt, death, as well as panic attacks and anxiety disorder. Read at your own risk.

6 months after the war, and everything was great.

Adora had been genuinely happy, the recovery efforts for Etheria was going great, and the Best Friends Squad was finally planning for their space road trip.

And Catra and Adora had been really happy with each other.

The days they didn’t spend working, they took long walks around the castle, spent evenings cuddling with Melog under the moon, and spent nights wrapped up in each other’s embrace, simply enjoying the love they felt for each other.

They had also gotten…intimate on more than one occasion.

All in all, their relationship was great. Everything was perfect.

But the problem with perfection is that in a matter of seconds, things can become fractured.

And with enough pressure, things will shatter.

* * *

Catra had spent the entire 6 months after the war – and 3 months after Adora’s attempt – simply making sure that her girlfriend felt loved. So much, that she repressed any and all problems she had been currently dealing with.

So what, a few flashbacks and a couple of panic attacks couldn’t even _compare_ to what Adora had been dealing with.

Adora needed her; she couldn’t let these things get in the way now. She was going to be there for her, every single step of the way.

Adora needed her to be strong, and she could be that. Even if she was slowly cracking inside, she could do this.

If Adora needed everything to be perfect, then that is what it shall be.

Everything was going to be perfect, until it wasn’t.

As time wore on, and Adora was getting more and more independent with her emotions again, Catra felt herself slipping again. The nightmares were getting more frequent, Shadow Weaver and Horde Prime plaguing every one of them. Sometimes, she’d be doing the most random thing, when her chest started to tighten, and her throat started to squeeze. It was amazing how well she was able to hide it.

Until she jinxed it, of course.

One day, when Adora went to the Whispering Woods to visit some old lady, Catra opted to stay behind. After loads of convincing, she found herself in the ugliest frilly apron, alongside Scorpia and Glimmer, baking cake.

There wasn’t even anything going wrong, just them being goofs, getting more flour on the floor than in the bowl, when the familiar feeling started again. Catra staggered back, her eyes becoming wide, and she put a hand on her chest. She slid down the counter and dragged her knees inward. _Great, perfect time for a panic attack._

Scorpia and Glimmer stopped what they were doing immediately and rushed to her side. Scorpia kept frantically asking what’s wrong, and if she needed anything, while Glimmer sat next to her, just rubbing her arm and reassuring her that _it’s okay, Shadow Weaver isn’t here, Horde Prime is gone, you aren’t chipped, just relax._

Eventually, Catra’s breathing regulated, and she felt the exhaustion set in post-panic attack. She blearily looked at Scorpia, and then Glimmer, muttering an apology before she laid her head back, taking a deep breath.

“You have absolutely nothing you need to apologize for, Wildcat.” Scorpia said gently, putting a reassuring pincer on her shoulder. Glimmer nodded.

“Don’t worry about it, it happens to the best of us.” She reassured her. “Just, promise me that you’ll try to tell _someone_ when you feel something coming on. I know Adora’s been struggling, but you need to lean on her as much as she needs to lean on you, okay?” Glimmer said, placing a hand on Catra’s other shoulder. Catra nodded.

“Now, how about we finish some cake so we can eat it!” Scorpia suggested, placing her other pincer for Catra to take. Catra accepted and let herself be pulled to her feet. She wasn’t so sure about leaning on Adora, but she was happy to know that she still had people in her corner. That she wasn’t alone.

She smiled.

* * *

_Shadow Weaver’s red electrical currents surrounded her, paralyzing her, making her subdue to the force. Catra looked around frantically, searching for something, anything, to free her from this grasp, when she spotted a young blonde with a missing tooth. Adora was also looking around with terrified eyes as fat tears rolled out of them. She looked over to Catra and mouthed “Help me” before a large blast hit her, crumpling her to the ground. The hold on Catra immediately broke, and the 7-year-old started to run to the blonde. Halfway to her, the floor started to crumble, and she fell through._

_Catra’s body morphed into the of an 20-year-old, and she plunged into the sickly green of Horde Prime’s pool, which immediately began to shock her – yet again – until everything she saw was through a green haze. She blinked and found herself fighting Adora, unable to control her actions, her words. Adora kept on pleading with her, but her mouth did not oblige to her mind. As she fell off the ledge, she saw Adora jump after her before succumbing to darkness._

_Catra opened her eyes again to see that she was holding a limp Adora in the Heart Chamber. No, no, no. This wasn’t how it went. Adora was supposed to wake up. And yet, she didn’t Adora’s eyes stayed shut, her features slackened, as Catra reached to her neck._

_There wasn’t a pulse._

_Catra cried out and buried her head on Adora’s chest, letting the Heart of Etheria’s magic burst, consuming them and the world._

_Catra opened her eyes one more time to see Adora laying on their bed. Catra reached out to hold her when she noticed the blood pooling at the side of Adora’s arm. The blood was oozing out of a deep wound on her wrist, and a deathlike pallor painted her face. Adora’s features were once again slackened, and Catra was too afraid to check for a pulse._

_She hadn’t been strong enough, fast enough, good enough, and now Adora was paying for it. Adora didn’t deserve this. Ado-_

_“Catra, wake up!” Adora’s ghoulish face suddenly screeched, reaching her skeleton-like hands at Catra. Catra screamed and tripped over, falling into the floor and –_

Catra shot up in her bed with a scream, her breaths shallow and quick, and the familiar squeeze of her chest present. She let out a choked sob and came to the conclusion that she couldn’t breathe why can’t she breathe she needs _air_ help help _help_ –

“-tra! Catra!” Adora spoke urgently, trying to catch the attention for her girlfriend. When that was done successfully, Adora slowly put her hands out in front of her. “Can I hold you?” she asked gently, not wanting to spook the already petrified feline any more. Melog sat just behind her, they’re mane in a spikey blue. Catra nodded quickly, still trying to regulate her breathing as the tears kept rolling down her cheeks. Adora grabbed onto Catra and pulled her into her chest. After a couple minutes, Catra’s breathing died down, and the sobs started coming. They racked her petite frame, and she grasped onto Adora’s tank top, squeezing it tight. It rode down just a little bit, the brand from the Fail-Safe now visible, and this fueled her tears. Adora kept on stroking her head, whispering that _it’s okay, it was just a dream, you’re safe._

After about 10 minutes, Adora spoke.

“How long has this been happening?” Adora asked gently, accusation void of her tone. She was simply asking the question.

“A couple of months.” Catra murmured. It technically wasn’t a lie – this stuff _had_ happened before, but it started becoming more frequent within the last few months. Catra looked up to Adora’s face guiltily, only to find that Adora held the same face.

“Catra, I am _so_ sorry. I’m supposed to be your girlfriend and I can’t even see it when you’re struggling! I promise I’ll do better I – “ She started before Catra cut her off by putting her finger to her lips.

“No, it’s not your fault. You are dealing with stuff, and I didn’t want to worry you. _I’m_ sorry, and I’ll try to communicate better next time.” Catra said quietly. Adora chuckled humorlessly.

“Looks like we both have work to do, huh?” She mused quietly, still absentmindedly stroking the feline's hair. Catra nodded idly.

They continued to lay like that well into the morning, both deep in thought, and yet both absurdly empty. Slowly, the day began anew, and they had to get ready with it. However, today, the girls felt lighter than they had in a long time.

Things had fractured, yes, but it’s imperfections…it’s imperfections are what make it beautiful.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay I kinda just sat down and started writing with no idea where I was going to go, but here we are. Now that we have shit on catra, what's next? Tune in to find out!


End file.
